William C. Dumbaugh

William C. Dumbaugh, age 84, died at home in Weirton, West Virginia, on Friday, November 14, 2008. Bill was a lifelong resident of Weirton, born on February 14, 1924, the son of William Kenneth Dumbaugh and Mary Alice Reese Dumbaugh. He was a member of the Cove United Presbyterian Church. Surviving Bill is his sister, Betty Wilson, of Weirton, as well as his three children: Kathryn Ann Murren and her husband Jeffrey Murren, of Wyckoff, New Jersey ; William J. "Jack" Dumbaugh, and his wife Maureen Garan Dumbaugh, of Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania ; and Judge Joyce Dumbaugh Chernenko and her husband Marc Chernenko, of Wellsburg, West Virginia. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Kylin Murren, Ryan Murren, Mari Dumbaugh, and Julie Dumbaugh; and grand-dog Marshal Chernenko. Bill was a 1941 graduate of Weir Senior High School, where he was a standout player on the Weir High Red Riders basketball team under his coach and mentor Carl A. Hamill. At his mentor's urging, Bill attended Coach Hamill's alma mater, Bethany College, where he continued to excel in both academics and athletics, and where he started as a freshman for the Bethany Bison basketball team. Bill left Bethany during his sophomore year to serve his country in World War II, as a pilot in the United States Air Force, and he was stationed for 18 months at Orly Field in Paris. During this time, he flew transport missions in Nazi occupied France, Belgium and Germany. Following the war, Bill returned to Weirton, married Mary LaVene Weaver, and the two returned to Bethany, so that he could conclude his college studies. He was named captain of the Bison basketball team in both his junior and senior years. Bill graduated from Bethany in 1948 magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. While at Bethany, he was initiated into Psi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, and served as the chapter Vice President. He was inducted into Gamma Sigma Kappa, the College's academic honorary, and was a founding member of Bethany Kalon, the College Leadership honorary. With the support and urging of his Bethany mentor, Forrest H. Kirkpatrick, after graduation Bill entered the Wharton School of Business, at the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his Masters in Business Administration in 1949, and his first employment after Wharton School was with the accounting firm, Price Waterhouse, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1950 Bill returned to his hometown of Weirton to raise his family and establish a private practice in certified public accounting. He maintained his accounting practice in Weirton for more than fifty-two years, serving clients of all walks of life, and businesses spanning the entire length of the Northern Panhandle, eastern Ohio, and western Pennsylvania. Bill served in many capacities in Weirton civic organizations, including President of the Weirton Jaycees, and Treasurer of the City of Weirton under the administration of Mayor Sam Kusic in the early 1950's. He was also a long time member of the Board of Directors at First National Bank of Weirton, and its successor United National Bank. In 1982, Bill was inducted into the Bethany College Athletic Hall of Fame, as one of less than 200 inductees since the College's founding in 1840. He had recently participated in the "100 Years of Bethany basketball" celebration on February 23, 2008, where he was the oldest of more than 100 alumni attendees at the game played by the Bison that day. As an avid golfer, Bill was most active in his membership in, and commitment to, Williams Country Club, as his father, William K. Dumbaugh, had been a founding member of the Club. He served on the Board of Directors of Williams for nearly Forty-five years, served as President of the Board for multiple terms of office, and served perennially as Membership Committee Chairman. Bill was one of the individuals responsible for the successful purchase of the country club by its membership when Weirton Steel sold the facility in 1982. Under his watchful stewardship, Williams Country Club thrived, and has survived in better stead than many other private facilities in the region. Visiting hours will be Monday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Greco Hertnick Funeral Home, 3219 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with Reverend Ed Rudiger officiating. Entombment will be in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Donations may be made in Bill's memory to Bethany College, c/o Development Office, Erickson Center, Bethany College, Bethany, West Virginia 26032.